Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-06-09
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
The Question of Settlements" Before Mar
riage-When Stated Allowance
Should be Made.
How to Remove Frcc1les and Tan-Soirt
Valuable Household Hints-The
Uses of Salt.
ON ALLOWANCES.

never become popular this side tn,
ocean; that of settlements" before
marriage. There is u shockingl,
mercenary sound to the conversation
we then Overhear where prosperity,
father and son-in-law are carefully
balancing the utmost that each can dt
for the blushing bride 1t offends oul
American sense of romance. and W.
vaguely feel that a woman is DEGRADED
by this ''dickering" as to methods anc
means of providing for her future.
1t isn't our way, we are somewhat
proud to affirm. No, it isn't But
doubt if a thing is always wrong be
cause ne don't do it. Once I was des
cribing to a friend my chagrin wher
some acquaintance presented me with
a Christmas gift, and | had none ready
to return.
''Oh!" he said, with the hearty
superior laugh of man at a woman's
perplexity: why didn't you put your
hand in your pocket, and give her q
dolIar?"
The conceit tickled our fancy to an
extreme, yet it constantly recurs to my
mind as SO essentially the national way
of settling all matters Perhaps we
may not always be quite Just, but.
bless my heart, how generous we are
A mans fair wage may be grudged
him, but to put ones hand in ones
pocket, and give him a dollar-how
common it is! Was ever aught more
characteristic of our clumsy, hearty.
awkward mode of procedure than the
way which the country at large adopt
ed to show, few years ago, its SYM
pathy for Il Presidents widow No
one knew that she was needy: every
one knew that Congress would provide
for the need, if it did exist. Yet peo-
pie wanted to do something to mani
fest their grief and pity. So the uni
versal hand went into the universal
pocket, and, in many cases, literally a
dollar was Forthcoming.
70 bestoW twenty-five thousand dol
lars on any cause has a grand. even if
a vulgar side; to give twenty-five cents
to lady, because her husband is dead
certainly is unique. When it comes to
Give dollars for sale of old Rover. +"
in the subscription list, what might be
pathetic if done from the Fresh Air
Fund or the Flood Sufferers, becomes
bathos pure and simple. Does some
man cry Question:" That's the ques-
ton and the answer 1t is easier for
all Of us to be generous than just. To
give implies power, superiority; to
weigh another's rights and privileges
in the balance, and Judge them fairly
not too many of us do that. So,
when man hesitates before he COM
mits himself to promises, and debates
whatever he can carry out such and
such proposals it may not be ''our
way" it may have p mean look, but
surely systematic, just, even though
Slight reward is preferable to osten-
tatious and uneven largess. Few Am
orleans settle any amount upon their
wives (until on the brink of failure,
to their shame be it spoken,) and not
very many even give them a stated al
l0Wance. Our men are liberal, Gree
handed to use the vernacular, but
don't think they are very just One
can but fancy they like the lordly
feeling OF scattering good to their de-
pendents. Yet what woman but would
a thousand times rather slice down her
expenditures TO lit ten dollars, earned,
and counted her rightful salary, than
to say Thank YOU for a twenty dol
lar bill bestowed upon her by the
housefather?
1t IS Il trjte argument that d wife
supports the family Us truly as the hus-
band; so trile as to be generally ac-
cepted.. Some wives don't, but then,
in other cases, neither do some hus-
bands. Both are, broadly speaking,
br eadwinners, and, in one case as
truly rs the other, the laborer is
worthy of his Cor herr hire.
No man would consent to his daily
wage being counted gift, and proffer-
ed, or withheld, as the master saw fit,
although when it came, it proved of
generous amount. Then that mans
wife deserves the same consideration
She may earn but little, but that little
is, in fairness, hers. Men say great
| deal in derision as to us women: That
we have no heads for business, that we
do not manage" well. Manage! I'd
like to see a man do any better, with
money doled out to him by the ten-cent
piece!
As for the degradation of future
father and son-in-law talking over the
settlements, [ fancy most women
would prefer that to the other degra-
dation of humbly asking, in time to
come, that husband for her car-fare.
And, if parents but guessed the wis
dom of it, they would not delay long
to place young men and maidens up
on allowances, and keep them strictly
to account therein. 1t brings sober
ness and discretion to foolish age; it
makes those prudent in expenditure
who know that so much saved from
one luxury is so much gained for an
other want. Many heads of families
would assert that they could not af-
ford the system, but l speak whereof
1 know in insisting that it would be
far cheaper for them in the end. Give
q careless child what you have deliber-
ately calculated upon; tell him he
must make that go so far and do so
much. You will be astonished to see
how he can save and contrive, when it
is for an object more tangible than the
family good. OF course everything
isn't done with wisdom; but who of US
is always wise? Perhaps he will need
direction and help. A mother [ know
| COWS lauuhio DIV. sMv pir1S 11Sod 70